National Cheesecake Day

It's National Cheesecake Day (July 30, 2010).

If you'd rather sip than bite into your dessert, try this recipe for a Chambord Cheesecake Martini courtesy of Chambord:

1 1/2 oz vanilla vodka
1/2 oz Chambord
2 oz heavy whipping cream

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Rim the glass in sweetened graham cracker crumbs for added oomph.

FYI...
According to TLC’s “How Stuff Works,” cheesecake is among the top five most popular desserts in the United States. There is historic evidence that people enjoyed cheesecake as far back as 770 BC, when the dessert (or something like it at the very least) was served to Olympic athletes in Greece.

About Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur: Chambord is an infusion of raspberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black currant, Madagascar vanilla and cognac. According to legend, Chambord was inspired by a luxurious raspberry liqueur produced for King Louis XIV during his visit to Chateau Chambord in the 17th century.

Mount Gay Rum

Tales of the Cocktail is an annual multi-day event in New Orleans celebrating the cocktail.

Today the schedule of activities is again packed.

Among the tastings is one hosted by Mount Gay Rum, which is produced in Barbados.

Can't join us at Tales today?

These recipes featuring Mount Gay Rum may help you enjoy some of the flavor at home:

Chester’s Rum Punch
Developed by Chester Browne Mount Gay Rum Global Brand Ambassador and Mixologist

4 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Angostura Bitters
12 oz Grenadine Syrup
19 oz Mount Gay Eclipse Rum
13 oz Sugar Syrup
1 tsp Nutmeg
18 oz Water

In a punch bowl, mix all ingredients together, allow to rest for two hours, serve over ice and garnish with a cherry.

The two recipes below are provided by Erin Williams, Mixologist - Remy Cointreau

Mount Gay Silver Daiquiri
1 1/2 oz Mount Gay Silver Eclipse
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
6 fresh blueberries muddled

Mount Gay Old Fashioned
2 oz Mount Gay Extra Old Rum
1/4 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz simple syrup
1 dash fee bros orange bitters 1 dash angostura bitters garnish with a flamed orange peel disk

Cheers!

Gran Sierpe Pisco

Created three centuries ago in Peru, pisco is enjoying new popularity. The grape brandy is a versatile mixer and thus pisco-based cocktails seem to be popping up on drink menus nationwide.

“Pisco has a long standing history of exports to the world but just recently has the beverage become a popular alternative to more well known white spirits,” says Herbie Loebl, Gran Sierpe Pisco’s brand owner.

Artisan Brands, which has a partnership with the oldest existing Pisco distillery in Peru, launched Gran Sierpe Pisco. The spirit won “Best in Class” in the grape brandy category at both The New York Spirits Awards and the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Pisco History
"Spanish settlers began developing Pisco in the 16th century by using the finest grapes grown in Southern Peru. Peruvian miners popularized the spirit throughout the West Coast during the gold rush. One concoction in particular, San Francisco’s ‘pisco punch’, gained such fame upon its discovery in the late 19th century that it was written about by the likes of Mark Twain, Harold Ross and Rudyard Kipling. The creator of the cocktail, Duncan Nicol, did his best to take the recipe with him to the grave when he passed in the late 1920s. After his death, the pisco punch was thought to have been lost forever; that is, until the California Historical Society unearthed the formula 50 years later, giving a second life to the beloved drink of the San Francisco of the 1800s. Another fascinating tidbit is the ownership conflict between Peru and Chile, both of which claim the spirit as their national drink."
--quoted from an Artisan Brands' press release

Along with a sample bottle of Gran Sierpe Pisco, I received a deck of cards showcasing 13 pisco cocktail recipes, two of which we tested last night.

Pisco Sour
2.5 oz. Pisco Gran Sierpe
2 oz. lime juice
1 oz. sugar or simple syrup
1 tsp egg white

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and serve in a rocks glass with a dash of bitters to garnish.

Monte Pisco
2 oz. Gran Sierpe Pisco
2 oz. elderflower liqueur
1 oz. lime juice

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and serve either in a highball with ice or strained into a chilled martini or rocks glass.

The results: Both cocktails were very tasty.

More Gran Sierpe Pisco recipes:

Sierpe Pisco Cooler
from The Setai, Miami Beach
1 oz Gran Sierpe Pisco
Muddle 3 Pieces of Cucumber
¾ oz Yuzu
¾ oz Simple Syrup

Sierpe Sunset
from The Mondrian, Miami Beach
2 oz Gran Sierpe Pisco
3 Basil Leaves
Fresh Raspberries
¾ oz Lemon juice
¾ oz Simple Syrup
Splash the Mango Puree

Pisco Passion
from W, Miami Beach
2 oz Basil Infused Gran Sierpe Pisco
1 oz Passion Fruit
¾ oz Simple Syrup
½ oz Lime juice

--All recipes courtesy of Gran Sierpe Pisco, Artisan Brands

Bottom line: It's time to add a bottle of pisco to your home bar, and Gran Sierpe would be a great choice. Plus, you can feel good about buying Gran Sierpe: One percent of all 2010 profits will be donated to Project Medishare, and will go toward relief in Haiti.

Market

I'd first been to Market shortly after it opened, and though the meal was tasty, the environment chic and service excellent, I promptly forgot about it. It just fell off my radar, but it shouldn't have. A recent visit to check out the new menu re-affirmed that this is a place worthy of attention.

Market is located in the W Hotel-Buckhead and is the perfect place to dine before heading up to the very fun bar Whiskey Blue...in part because if you valet park at the hotel and then dine at Market, you'll get three hours of complimentary parking, whereas if you only go to the bar the $16 parking fee isn't waived. At those rates, it just makes sense to at least get an appetizer before heading upstairs. (And you'll want to head upstairs, if only to ride in the elevator that's outfitted with a seven-foot long white leather sofa. If that doesn't make you feel like you've arrived at the good life, nothing will.)

Of course, Market has its own cocktail menu, so you need not go to Whiskey Blue at all. The cucumber martini is made with Bluecoat Gin, which has soft floral notes, and is light, refreshing and food-friendly. The grapefruit gimlet is equally tasty.

If you don't think you like pea soup, a small starter shot of it will change your mind. It's hot, fresh and topped with a Parmesan foam that adds the perfect salty contrast to the savory soup.

The crab fritter is topped with sweet slivers of pear and rests atop a spicy savory sauce:
This salad is a revelation. The combination of mango, black olives, basil, queso fresca and olive oil doesn't sound good, which is why each bite is such a pleasant surprise:
Cod is adored the world over and has been for centuries. (There's even a great book about the fish's role in history.) But I don't get it. I just don't like cod. Here it's presented in a flavorful pool of tart vegetable sauce, which I'd prefer with halibut or some other sort of fish. But that's just me, obviously.

The lamb meat is schmeared with a mint pesto which in turn is topped with panko bread crumbs. Mint and lamb is a traditional combination, but it's never tasted this good. And that bright green side dish of pea puree and peas with almonds is the sort of veggie that could persuade even the crankiest kid to eat vegetables. Run, don't walk, to get this dish:
This sized-to-share dessert offers a satisfying combination of well-matched flavors, including brûléed bananas atop a banana cake, caramel ice cream, chocolate crunchies (reminiscent of Cocoa Puffs) and dark chocolate dollops.

Bottom line: Creative flavor combinations, well-executed preparations and high-quality food elevate Market to a destination worthy of foodies' attention.

Wine Cocktails

Can't finish that bottle of wine? No worries. The folks behind the reliably quaffable and affordable Turning Leaf wines suggest using leftover wine in cocktails and provided a couple of recipes to help get the party started.

Mojito Blanco
1 Tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup Turning Leaf Sauvignon Blanc
crushed ice
chilled seltzer

In a small pitcher mix mint leaves, lime juice and sugar. Fill a tall glass with crushed ice; pour mint mixture over ice. Add Turning Leaf Sauvignon Blanc and top will seltzer.

Summer Spritz
1 oz. strawberry puree
1 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. ginger ale
3 oz. Turning Leaf Chardonnay

Combine strawberry puree with pineapple juice and wine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, transfer to pint glass and top off with ginger ale. Garnish with a strawberry.

--Recipes Courtesy of Turning Leaf

Sherry Cocktails

According to the Secret Sherry Society, sherry cocktails pair perfectly with this summer’s cultural cuisine.

The Secret Sherry Society selected these drinks using a specific tasting and pairing process. The society, formed by a group of individuals whose primary concern was the artful dissemination of the secrets of their favorite beverage, sherry, is a lively bunch of sherry experts who travel around the country sharing their passion for their favorite beverage. (And so, one may argue, they aren't too secretive.)

The society thinks sherry cocktails make the perfect pairing to the best cultural cuisines from Thai to Mexican and the Caribbean, and provided these three recipes with food pairing suggestions.

Sherry Margarita
1 ½ oz Dry Sherry
1 oz Tequila
2 oz Fresh Orange Juice
¾ oz Grand Marnier

Combine all in a mixing glad with ice; shake and strain into a martini glass; garnish with an orange slice or twist.

Pairs perfectly with Mexican Tacos

Delores Park Swizzle
1 oz Amontillado Sherry
1 oz Tequila
¾ oz Ginger Syrup
¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
¼ oz Velvet Falernum

Top with 4 dashes aromatic bitters; garnish lavishly with mint; serve over crushed ice.

Pairs perfectly with Pad Thai

The Smoked Palomino
2 oz Dry Amontillado Sherry
1 oz Crema De Mezcal
1 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
¾ oz Fresh Lime
½ oz Simple Syrup
¾ oz Club Soda

Add kosher salt to rim of glass, garnish with lime.

Pairs perfectly with Jamaican Jerk Chicken

For more information and secretive cocktails, please visit the Secret Sherry Society.

FGT Bar & Cafe (formerly Savu)

FGT Bar & Cafe (formerly Savu), at the W Hotel-Perimeter, is located in an open space just off to the side of the main entrance in the lobby, which helps contribute to its relaxed vibe.

The cocktails on the current menu read like they're super sweet, with lots of berry- and fruit-based options. But fear not, at least if the French martini is representative. It was refreshing, balanced and not at all sickly-sweet. The sweet corn soup, topped with blue crab and smoked bacon, was a delicious marriage of sweet and savory:
The black-eyed pea cake topped with pickled shrimp and jalapeno in grilled tomato puree revealed that earthy and vinegary flavors do play nice together:
For a tart twist, the heirloom tomatoes are topped with lemon basil creme fraiche and balsamic syrup. What is creme fraiche? A blend of sour cream and soft whipped cream.

A dish commonly found on today's menus, this fried goat cheese over baby arugula with grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, pickled red onions and lemon vinaigrette was fresh, pretty and perfectly prepared:
My favorite bite: Lamb slider with minted yogurt and caramelized red onions. Don't want lamb? Consider the fried green tomato slider with spicy remoulade and applewood smoked bacon which was also delicious.

For an upscale fish taco, try the blackened halibut taco with watermelon pico de gallo and queso fresco.

Executive Chef Stacie Vande Wetering brings almost two decades of experience to the kitchen. Before joining W Hotel-Perimeter, she worked as corporate chef for three Atlanta-area locations of Benchwarmers. Previous stints include the Atlanta Country Club, Vinings Club, Riviera Restaurant, Sheraton Atlanta, and work as a personal chef. She has an energy and personal style that I predict will one day land her on TV:
Bottom line: Unpretentious food, confidently prepared.

Burro-Pollo

Thanks to Chef Hector Santiago it's now easy to get a great burrito on Saturdays and Sundays in Atlanta. His new Burro-Pollo stand, which operates on weekends from Noon to 3:00 p.m. (or until the food runs out, which took just an hour yesterday), is positioned in the parking lot across the street from his Pura Vida Tapas restaurant. The menu is limited to chicken burritos (and whatever else he feels inspired to make that particular day, such as perhaps a flavorful beverage). The spicy chicken is topped with radish and other veggies and a bit of sour cream then wrapped in a fresh-grilled tortilla.

All for just $6 each.

Bottom line: Don't miss.

Fair warning, based on first-person experience: the dudes in the line in front of you may or may not have bathed recently. Breathe deep at your own risk. Until you've got a burrito in front of your nose and then it's all good.

Eleven

Yesterday I mentioned to someone that the night previously I'd dined at Eleven, and he commented that it was rather late for dinner. No, I explained, the restaurant inside the new Loews Hotel in Midtown Atlanta is named Eleven. Why it bears that name is a question I can't answer; it's not on the eleventh floor and the number of tables isn't one short of a dozen.

Absent mystery is the restaurant décor, which is contemporary with a brown color palette and pops of orange. At 6:00 p.m. on a Friday night the place was empty, but the server mentioned that it typically gets much busier later in the evening. He says that on weeknights diners are most often hotel guests; on weekends the majority are locals. Folks may be coming to see him, because quite frankly he was adorable plus skilled at his job.

I started with the sea scallops, which were topped with a black olive tapenade and drizzled with a raw vegetable vinaigrette. The three scallops were served alongside corn bread pudding topped with assorted microgreens. The scallops were cooked to perfection; the bread pudding boasted great flavor but was a tad mushy.
As an entrée I decided to try the menu's sole vegetarian offering, a whole wheat penne pasta dish with asparagus, tomatoes and spicy sauce. It was tasty, with bright colors for visual appeal; this dish confirmed that the trick to making whole wheat pasta palatable is to serve it with spicy sauce.

Bottom line: Eclectic menu offers hotel guests variety and a bit of local flavor.

Sweeping Her Off Her Feet With Food

The author of "Sweeping Her Off Her Feet With Food: The Ultimate Guide to Romance & Seduction in the Kitchen" seems like a sweetheart of a guy. I don't know him and have never met him, but in his opening Eric S. Lee writes, "there is an emotional aphrodisiac embedded within the simple act of preparing food for a lover" and later, "the more you practice the better you will become." Nice!

What's more, this dude understands ladies. The book opens with two quotes. First: "He wants sex, she wants romance" - John Gray, Mars & Venus in the Bedroom. Next page: "Sounds fair to me!" - Eric. !

To help those guys out there (though, of course, any woman could follow this book's guidelines for her partner), the book opens with suggestions about setting the mood with notes, flowers, chocolates, games, wardrobe, setting the table and more. Next the book outlines four different menus, and then offers alternate recipes organized by type (seafood, poultry, etc.) Following the easy-to-understand step-by-step instructions yields tasty dishes like salmon with fresh mango salsa, pasta with prosciutto, fresh tomato, peas and arugula, shrimp and red pepper aioli crostinis and "the best bread pudding she's ever had with bourbon creme anglaise."

Suggested retail price, $29.95.

Bottom line: Anyone armed with this book has no excuse to suck at romance.

South Beach Diet: Super Quick Cookbook

Two friends on separate occasions mentioned to me that they successfully lost weight following The South Beach Diet. I thought I might like to try it sometime. So when I unexpectedly received a reviewer's copy of "The South Beach Diet: Super Quick Cookbook" by Arthur Agatston, MD in the mail (disclaimer: sometimes an item is delivered to me, the sender hoping that I'll write about it, without my knowing it's being shipped), Dean said, "The diet gods smiled upon you."

The 300-page book features 200 recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. The author's stated goal with this book was to help make it faster and easier to cook healthy food. The opening sections of the book include a review of the diet principles; pantry-, 'frig- and freezer-stocking tips; and menu suggestions. Recipes are organized by course and then sub-categorized by diet phase. Each recipe is written in an easy-to-follow format; many include full-page color photos. Two full weeks of meal plans for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the diet are also included.

The suggested retail price of this book is $28.99.

Bottom line: This is a book that I need to test more thoroughly in order to evaluate its effectiveness in promoting weight loss. The challenge for me, as a restaurant reviewer and travel writer, is scheduling a block of time in my calendar to do so.

If you've tried The South Beach Diet, please share your experiences in the comments section.

Fire & Flavor Coffee Rub

For a forthcoming article for Sunday Paper, I recently interviewed Gena Knox of Fire & Flavor.

Afterwards, her PR firm sent me a few products to try, including the coffee rub. I was glad to receive that product in particular, because Gena had told me that it's her personal favorite spice for steak. "It has high-quality Costa Rican coffee," she said, "and cinnamon, ancho chiles, brown sugar, salt and other spices. Even if you don’t like coffee the rich, robust flavor of this rub is unique and good. You can use it on pork, but it plays particularly well with steak."

So I eagerly rubbed it on a steak before Dean took it to the grill. (Yes, I can grill, but I like to let Dean do it. After all, I do the rest of the cooking.)

The rub was rich and robust just as Gena had described. The smell of the blend is intoxicating and mouthwatering. Once seared into the steak if adds spicy complexity to each bite.

Bottom line: A tasty rub with rich cocoa and coffee notes. But because I personally prefer my steaks seasoned simply with salt and pepper, the next time I use this product will be to test the recipe for mole sauce that was included inside the tin packaging.

2009 Jerome Quiot Côtes de Provence Rosé les Arnevels

If you think rosé wine is sweet and thus avoid it, let me introduce you to the 2009 Jerome Quiot Côtes de Provence Rosé les Arnevels:
This dry wine is a pleasure to sip on its own and also pairs well with just about any sort of cuisine you may prepare this summer. It boasts pleasant citrus, berry and melon flavors.

In subsequent tastings, this wine impressed two friends. One, who generally prefers white wine, said that she'd never had a dry rosé; her reaction to this one was akin to love at first sip. The other, who rarely drinks wine, was unable to resist a second pour.

Bottom Line: Refreshing, food-friendly and value priced at around $12/bottle, this is currently our go-to summer wine. Thumbs up.

Buckhead Bottle Bar

On Thursday, June 24, 2010, there were at least five different soirees taking place simultaneously in Atlanta, including a launch party for my friends' Equally Wed magazine, a bi-annual meeting of my condo association, and multiple restaurant grand openings and new menu unveilings. (It's really uncanny how frequently different PR firms wind up choosing the same evening to host their various events.) Ultimately, though, I didn't need to choose which event to attend: illness dictated that I stay home. Thus I missed the official grand opening of Buckhead Bottle Bar. Fortunately, I was able to check it out on my own (well, Dean tagged along) on Monday, July 5.

Admittedly, that's an odd night to choose--Mondays are typically slow nights in restaurants and bars, even more so after a holiday weekend--but I wasn't interested in "the scene." My focus was on evaluating the food and beverage offerings.

So, when I walked in around 6:30 p.m. and saw only a few folks seated at the bar, I wasn't really surprised. Beyond that, the whole place was a big surprise. In a very good way.

It's not often that I'm completely unprepared for what I'll find when arriving to a new place. If you can read through the lines and ignore all the flowery hype lingo, press releases lay decent groundwork to set expectations. But with the name "Buckhead Bottle Bar," I had not guessed that this was first and foremost a restaurant. I thought it was primarily a bar. But no.

According to A.D. Allushi, who shares proprietorship with business partners Executive Chef Ian Winslade and Atlanta Hawk Zaza Pachulia, the owners just didn't like the name "Buckhead Bottle Bar & Grill." Thus they left off "& Grill" believing that people would figure it out. They felt that they had to use the words "Buckhead" (because that's where it's located), "Bottle" (because white bottles line the walls) and "Bar" (because it occupies much of the interior visual space). Besides, the three Bs in a row make for a nice logo. The place is described as "an all day cocktail house featuring bar food favorites." But that doesn't make it clear that you can safely bring kids--heck, booster seats are available--and that the menu is several steps above the typical fried chicken wings and peanuts that you might think of as "bar food." Personally, I think the name "Buckhead Bottle Bistro" would be perfect, because in France bistros are neighborhood places with great food and drink, but (as usual) no one asked me. So we'll have to wait and see if word gets around and the place catches on or if the owners decide to rename at some point before going under.

The place does already have some regulars: Seated next to me at the bar was a friendly couple who have already been to the place numerous times.

Anyway, having readied our palates for cocktails, Dean and I started with drinks.

Ginger Fig features Ketel One Oranje Vodka, muddled ginger root, fig jam and fresh OJ. It's very tasty, balancing sweet and spicy flavors without the viscosity that you might expect. And while I'd learned about using jam in cocktails two years ago at The Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, this is the first time I can remember seeing it put into practice in Atlanta. Since figs are in season, a fresh fig garnish would be more visually appealing than the dried fruit, but perhaps that's cost prohibitive.

Midnight Rose combines Four Roses bourbon, creme de mure (a raspberry-flavored liqueur), dry vermouth and fresh lemon juice. More sweet than tart, this was very tasty as well.

The Cheese and Crab Fritters small bites plate features three fried treats topped with apple strips, micro greens. The toasted pecan dipping sauce alongside has a delicate sweetness and subtle nut flavor. Recommended by A.D., these were indeed very good.
We tried two sliders, beef and shrimp. Both were very good but honestly, I could eat one of these shrimp sliders every day and never tire of them. Juicy and topped with quality ingredients, simply MMMMMM.

For dessert we tested both the peanut butter and jelly and chocolate hazelnut milkshakes. Both tasty, but I'd call these frappes instead of milkshakes because of their very thin consistency. To me "milkshake" is something so thick you can barely suck it up a straw and thus opt to use a spoon until you get to the melted bit at the bottom. These were slightly thicker than milk, much thinner than I'd prefer. But that's a matter of personal preference.

Bottom line: Perhaps the world's most kid-friendly bar, Buckhead Bottle Bar is a neighborhood bistro where the menu showcases fresh fare, expertly prepared. Cocktails are informed by international trends and expertly made from scratch using fresh juices.

W Hotels

I'm currently researching a forthcoming story for Where2NowMag.com about Atlanta hotels. As background, I wanted to better understand why Atlanta has four W Hotels and what traits they share as well as how they differ. Carlos Becil, vice president of W Hotels Brand Management for North America, provided answers.

Q. I've heard that Atlanta, with four W Hotels, has more W Hotels than any city other than New York. Is this true? Why so many in Atlanta?

A. Atlanta is a cosmopolitan city with distinctive neighborhoods, very much like New York, where the W brand was born. We currently have four hotels in Atlanta as well as four in the New York metro area (soon to be five with the opening of W New York – Downtown later this summer). Like New York, each neighborhood in Atlanta tends to attract different individuals – the glamorous shopper of Buckhead’s famous boutiques, the Midtown scenester, or the sophisticated Downtown businessperson. The design and offerings of each W is always evocative of its location, and in Atlanta, we have had the opportunity to open four distinct hotels that offer different experiences for our guests and locals through unique design, nightlife, and culinary elements.

Q. What distinguishes W hotels from the competition? What are the specific brands you consider to be the most direct competition?

A. W differentiates itself from other hotel brands through each hotel’s individualized design rooted in the destination mixed with the W brand’s signature lifestyle programming and Whatever/Whenever service philosophy that is found across all of our hotels. To strengthen our connection with the worlds of music and fashion, W hired international music industry veteran, Michaelangelo L’Acqua, as the brand’s Global Music Director and renowned international stylist and fashion authority, Amanda Ross, as the brand’s Global Fashion Director. These two experts will help bring to life our passions for design, fashion and music in our hotels and to create insider experiences that appeal to our guests who are seeking the new and the next.

Q. What traits define a W Hotel and thus are common among the four in Atlanta?

A. Design is an integral part of W’s DNA and while the designer for each hotel has incorporated his own unique touches through modern interpretations of the location, you will find they each have design elements in common – all have a Living Room (W’s take on the traditional hotel lobby), nightlife and bar options, signature restaurants, etc. W’s contemporary lifestyle programming is the red thread between all our hotels that we use to create a cohesive brand – from our Whatever/Whatever service philosophy to the Living Room experience to W Happenings event series. By working with various designers, architects, mixologists, chefs, restaurateurs, etc., each W property in Atlanta and around the world is a unique destination giving our guests access to a world of Wow.

Q. What makes each of the four Ws in Atlanta different? What is the unique character of each one?

A. As the sophisticated Capital of the South, Atlanta offers a unique mix of cultural influences from fashion to music, pop culture to nightlife, and everything in between. Each W Hotel in Atlanta incorporates these unique influences of their particular neighborhood.

Our newest hotel in Atlanta, W Atlanta - Downtown is located in the heart of the city and offers a whimsical wonderland of nature-inspired design, blending organic architectural elements with contemporary style to create a playful and energetic ambience. The property’s central location offers guests easy access to leading cultural, entertainment and shopping attractions including the CNN Center, Philips Arena, Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola. The hotel itself features three destination bars including DRINKSHOP from New York-based master mixologist Sasha Petraske, a glamorous zero-edge pool, as well as the Atlanta debut of chef and restaurateur Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Steak, which serves a range of American classics prepared with a French twist.

Designed by style connoisseur, Thom Filicia, W Atlanta – Buckhead combines modern luxury with Southern Charm. With his re-imagining of “Country Club Chic,” Filicia blended his whimsical style with the contemporary design and luxurious amenities W is known for. The hotel also celebrates the first stateside appearance of Jean Georges Vongerichten’s Parisian favorite, Market by Jean-Georges, which features French, Asian and Italian inspirations coupled with alluringly familiar cuisine. To top it off, guests at W Atlanta – Buckhead can enjoy Whiskey Blue, a rooftop bar by Rande Gerber.

W Atlanta – Midtown was designed with a “techno glam” aesthetic that gives W Hotels’ iconic design an urban sophistication with a touch of southern hospitality. Located in Atlanta’s reemerging magnificent Midtown Mile, the city’s top art galleries, restaurants and nightlife all within walking distance of W Atlanta – Midtown, which also features Atlanta’s first Bliss spa. Spice Market, the hotel’s premier restaurant, features Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s piquant elevations of the Southeast Asian street cuisine served in a casual, stylish atmosphere.

Located next to Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s and minutes from the Woodruff Art Center, Atlantic Station and the Chastain Amphitheatre, W Atlanta - Perimeter is an urban oasis, featuring WET outdoor pool, a Zen garden and the Asian-influenced Savu restaurant.

Great Tastes in Atlanta

Though by no means an exhaustive list, these dishes rank among my personal favorites:

Jalapeño Mashed Potatoes
Pale green and beyond amazing with the perfect amount of heat, Chef Laurent Tourondel’s creation breathes new life into tradition while begging that humble sides never be taken for granted again.
[BLT Steak; 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd.; 404-577-7601]

Mac & Cheese
Green chiles and prosciutto elevate the classic noodle and cheese combination to ethereal new highs. Served tapas-style as a small portion, it’s tempting to order more than one serving. Unless you’re stuffed after delighting in the 28 other temptations.
[Cellar 56; 56 E. Andrews Dr. NW; 678-244-3600]

Memphis Taco
The simple yet brilliant combination of chopped smoked pork, spicy jalapeño coleslaw and tequila barbecue sauce in a soft flour tortilla makes taste buds dance.
[Taqueria del Sol; 1200-B Howell Mill Rd.; 404-352-5811]

San Gennaro
Spicy Sicilian Italian sausage, sweet red peppers, fresh buffalo mozzarella and cipolline onions are the ideal spicy-sweet combination to top this light, fluffy pizza crust. Scrumptious.
[Antico Pizza; 1093 Hemphill Ave.; 404-724-2333]

Seven Onion Soup
This soul-satisfying, thick and decadent soup is reminiscent of French Onion yet more sublime. The rich and sultry base is topped with toasted croutons, shaved Manchego cheese and chive oil.
[Salt Factory; 952 Canton St. in Roswell; 770-998-4850]

Tres Leches Cake
If you think only chocolate desserts are worth the calories, one bite of this dreamy sensation will change your mind. The moist and creamy cake is topped with a cloud of ambrosia that’s well worth digging into whether or not it’s your birthday.
[Tierra; 1425 Piedmont Ave. NE; 404-874-5951]

Truffle Parmesan Fries
Crisp yet tender, it’s no wonder these savory French fries are a popular favorite. Truffle kicks the spuds without overpowering them and Parmesan balances the earthy flavors with a salty bite.
[JCT Kitchen & Bar; 1198 Howell Mill Rd.; 404-355-2252]

New Menu at Rosebud

Last night, Rosebud in Virginia Highlands debuted a new menu.

New menus often re-energize the chef, titillate some customers with tempting new creations, and make other customers want to cry over the absence of favored items.

I talked with Chef/Owner Ron Eyester about that juggling act.

"Tonight we'll have to deal with a few people and offer crisis management," he joked. "But I try to cook seasonally. You have to stand up for what you want to cook and what you believe in." Thus, while the braised pork ravioli--an item so popular it's been on the menu since the restaurant first opened in 2006--is gone, for now, perhaps folks will find comfort in the new summer menu's crab ravioli.

"It's definitely harder to take stuff off the menu than add new dishes," says Eyester about customer reactions to change. "But the menu was too big for summer, when typically business slows down. The new menu is a fairly progressive change. I'm shortening it to help us manage products better. It's a pretty refreshing change to give people reasons to come back."

But fear not: "In winter we'll bring other stuff back," he says.

US Cafe

US Cafe, a family-owned restaurant that's operated in Smyrna, Georgia for 20 years, has opened a second location in Buckhead. Now open near Lindbergh Center, US Cafe is a fast casual, diner-style restaurant and bar.

The menu features burgers (made of black Angus beef from Creekstone Farms), hot dogs, wings, quesadillas, salads and sandwiches. Chicken wings can be customized, either bone-in or boneless, and include the option of crispy, extra crispy, extra extra crispy and, as if that weren't enough, extra extra extra crispy.

At the Grand Opening event for media, which was held on Monday, we tasted several items.

The quarter-pound cheeseburger was not greasy and had a pleasant toasty exterior crust. One thing about quarter-pounders is baffling: When I make them at home the meat patty is much thicker than anything I've ever encountered out in the restaurant world. Where does the meat go? The bun to meat ratio was too bread-dominant for my personal preferences, so in future I'd likely opt for a double stack, although a half pound does seem like more meat than I need to eat in one sitting. The soft bun was sprinkled with sesame seeds; topping options included in the price are lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard and mayo. (Turkey, black bean and veggie burgers are also available.)

Our boneless hot wings were deep-fried and, though we'd ordered medium spice, quite mild. We also tried lemon pepper wings after being told that they're the restaurant's top selling item. These were served bone-in, skin-on and weren't greasy. They were very lemony.

The chicken quesadilla was my favorite entrée. Served as four large wedges with a side of salsa, it was packed with more meat than expected and moist without being greasy.

French fries are cooked in trans fat free vegetable oil and cut in the store into spears (thicker than shoestring, narrower than steak fries). They were OK; I preferred the crispy onion rings.

Ice cream shake flavors include chocolate and peanut butter. Though it's not listed on the menu, I asked that those two flavors be layered together in one cup. The peanut butter dominated so much that I couldn't detect any chocolate flavor. No matter, the shake was rich, thick and satisfied my sweet tooth.

Bottom line: A family-friendly place with a sports-bar meets diner feel where decent food is sold at reasonable prices.

Red, White & Blue Cocktails

In honor of America’s birthday, Bacardi created these red, white and blue cocktails:

BACARDI Sunshine Cocktail No. 2 Recipe

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 part BACARDI Superior Rum
1 part Noilly Prat Dry
2/5 part Crème de Cassis
1/2 part Freshly squeezed lemon juice

MAKE ONE
Step 1. Put all ingredients into a shake, add ice and shake briefly vigorously.
Step 2. Double strain into a pre-chilled or frozen glass
Step 3. Garnish with pineapple wedge

BACARDI White Lion
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
2 parts BACARDI Superior Rum
2 parts Orange Curacao
1 part Fresh squeezed lime juice
1/5 part Raspberry syrup
2 heaped tsp caster sugar
Seasonal berries to garnish
Cubed ice

MAKE ONE
Step 1. Put all ingredients into a mixing glass full of ice.
Step 2. Mix well and single strain into a glass full of shaved or crushed ice.
Step 3. Garnish with seasonal berries.

CAZADORES Blue Agave Margarita

WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1 ½ parts CAZADORES Reposado
1 part blue curaçao
½ part almond syrup
½ part COCO LOPEZ
½ part fresh lime juice

MAKE ONE
Step 1. Shake ingredients with ice
Step 2. Pour into a margarita glass.

—Recipes courtesy of Bacardi